There is currently insufficient evidence to suggest that early discharge from hospital after a stroke confers any advantage in terms of effectiveness or cost effectiveness compared with conventional care. A well designed study based in a New Zealand setting using appropriate methodology is required in order to provide further evidence for a change in current management practices of stroke patients in New Zealand.
A range of services should be maintained for the management of patients following a stroke. Home-based services do have a role to play in the rehabilitation of stroke patients.
Current evidence supported the use of domiciliary occupational therapy in patients following a stroke. However, further research assessing domiciliary occupational therapy in a randomised-controlled trial with the observer blinded to the patient's group would provide more robust data.
There was some evidence suggesting community support programmes reduced caregiver anxiety but further research is required to examine this issue in depth.